Sounding toy



11, 1959 K. c. SATTLER I 2,898,704

SOUNDING TOY Filed Jan. 17, 1958 INVENTOR. KARL. C. SPTT LEE.

, AT'T'O 12H EYS United States Patent SOUNDING TOY Karl C. Sattler, Anaheim, Calif.

Application January 17, 1958, Serial No. 709,497

3 Claims. (Cl. 46-178) This invention relates to amusement devices, and more particularly to a sound-emitting toy adapted to be actuated by moving air currents.

A main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved sounding toy of a type adapted to be attached to a portion of a vehicle, such as a bicycle, automobile, or the like, whereby the toy will be exposed to relatively moving air currents when a vehicle is in motion, the toy being provided with means for producing an unusual audible sound responsive to the relative movement of the air therepast, the device being simple in construction, being easy to install, and providing a high degree of entertainment.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved sound-emitting toy device which is inexpensive to manufacture, which is durable in construction, and which involves only two parts in its construction.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an improved sounding toy according to the present invention, shown in association with one of the handle bars of a bicycle, illustrated in dot-ted view, and indicating the manner in which the sounding toy is attached to the bicycle or any other vehicle.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary top plan View of the sounding toy of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical cross sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, 11 generally designates a sounding toy constructed in accordance with the present invention. The toy 11 comprises a bar-like main supporting member 12 to which is rigidly secured a yoke 13, the yoke being secured at the midportion of its bight member 14 to the end of the supporting bar 12 in perpendicular relationship to said supporting bar, as is clearly shown in Figure 1. The yoke is provided with the opposed parallel arms 15, 15, and rigidly connected to the ends of the arms 15, 15 are the respective channel-shaped cross bars 16, 16, said cross bars extending perpendicular to the arms 15 and being rigidly fastened thereto at their midportions. As is clearly shown in Figure 3, the channel bars 16, 16 are arranged with their channeled concave surfaces directed outwardly. The bars 16, 16 are preferably of equal lengths, as shown.

Designated at 17 is an elastic band, for example, a rubber band, which is engaged around the channeled cross bars 16, 16 in the manner illustrated in Figure 1,

the top and bottom portions of the rubber band being received in the concave channels of the members 16, 16, thus defining the vibratory parallel side band ele ments 18, 18 connecting the opposed end portions of ICC the cross bars 16, 16. The bight portion 14 of the yoke member 13 is of a substantial length, whereby the cross bars 16, 16 are separated by a substantial distance, and whereby the vibratory band elements 18, 18 are likewise of substantial lengths.

When a current of air moves past the vibratory bands 18, 18, with substantial velocity, the bands are excited into vibration, and vibrate at their natural periods, pro ducing audible sounds of substantial intensity, since the bands are under tension due to the elasticity and stretching of the rubber band 17. The pitch of the sound produced by the vibration of the band elements 18, 18 will, of course, depend upon the degree of tension of the elements 18, 18 as well as their lengths. In any event, the sound is produced essentially by the relative movement of air past the bands, no other action on the part of the user being required.

As will be apparent from Figure l, the bar member 12 may be fastened in any suitable manner, for example, by securing same by means of a plurality of turns of tape 21, to one handle bar of a bicycle, so that the yoke portion 13 of the device extends forwardly of the handle bars. Thus, when the bicycle is driven, the movement of the air past the band elements 18, 18 excites said band elements into vibration, producing a distinctive and unusual sound of considerable intensity.

Obviously, the support bar 12 may be fastened to any other vehicle, such as an automobile, in such a manner that the band elements 18, 18 are exposed outside the vehicle and will be excited into vibration by the movement of air therepast, whereby to produce sound of substantial intensity.

As shown in Figures 1 and 3, the framework of the device 11 may be integrally formed from a single piece of suitable rigid material, such as plastic material or the like, whereby it is of unitary construction and may be very cheaply manufactured. The rubber band 17 is of course very inexpensive and easily available from commercial sources.

While a specific embodiment of an improved sounding toy has been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention except as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A sounding toy of the character described comprising a bar-like support member, a yoke rigidly secured to an end of said support member and having opposed arms extending parallel to said bar-like support member, cross lbars rigidly secured to the ends of said opposed arms, said cross bars being substantially parallel and co-extensive in length, and respective elastic vibratory band elements connecting the opposed end portions of the cross bars being parallel to each other.

2. A sounding toy of the character described comprising a bar-like support member, a yoke rigidly secured to an end of said support member and having opposed, widely spaced, substantially parallel arms extending parallel to said bar-like support member, cross bars rigidly secured to the ends of said opposed arms in perpendicular relation thereto, said cross bars being substantially equal in length and parallel, and respective elastic vibratory lband elements connecting the opposed end portions of the cross bars and being parallel to each other.

3. A sounding toy of the character described comprising a bar-like support member, a yoke rigidly secured to an end of said support member and having oliposedgwidel'y spaced arms, channel-shaped cross bars References Cited in the file of this patent having concavelongitud'inal surfaces; said cross bars being rigidly secured to the ends of said opposed arms UNITED STATES PATENTS in perpendicular relation thereto and with their concave 691,131 y J 14, 1902 surfaces directed outwardly,- said cross bars being sub- 5 2,624,153 I011135011 6, 1953 sta'ntially equal {in length and parallel, and an elasftichand engaged around the channeled cross bars and'defiping a FOREIGN PATENTS pair of spaced parallel vibratory band elements con- 450,269 Germany Oct. 3, 1927 necting-the opposed end portions of theeross bars. 618,019 Germany Aug. 30, 1935 

